The present disclosure relates generally to the field of medical devices. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to fluid delivery systems for medical devices.
An intracardiac blood pump is a blood pump that is at least partially introduced into the heart to deliver blood from the heart into an artery, wherein the pump may protrude through a surgical opening in the heart. A special form of intracardiac blood pumps are intravascular blood pumps. Intravascular blood pumps are introduced into the heart through the vascular system of the patient, the insertion site being spaced from the heart, such as insertion at the thigh of the patient for access to the femoral artery.
For example, currently known blood pump catheters, such as the Impella 2.5 catheter marketed by Abiomed, include a drive portion including a motor and a pump portion including an impeller driven by the motor, at least one lateral discharge port being provided between the drive portion and the pump portion. Fluids from outside the patient may be delivered through lumens to the drive portion for various purposes. For example, fluids may be delivered the placement signal lumen to facilitate the proper positioning of the drive portion. Fluids may also be delivered to the motor to keep it purged of blood.
As shown in FIG. 1, with currently known blood pump catheters 10, a first fluid, such as a saline solution, may be delivered through the placement signal lumen and a second fluid, such as a glucose solution, may be delivered through the purge lumen. This arrangement requires two fluid sources 12 and 14 and requires that two sets of tubing 16 and 18 pass into the sterile field and results in excessive clutter. Further, a device such as an auxiliary pump 19 may be required to deliver the second fluid from the second fluid source 14 to the purge lumen. The auxiliary pump 19 can be difficult to use to those unfamiliar with it. Further, the auxiliary pump is another device that must be in close proximity to the sterile field, causing additional clutter.
Devices such as the blood pump catheter device 10 may need to be deployed quickly in emergency scenarios. It would be advantageous to provide an improved apparatus for delivering fluids for multiple uses to a catheter with multiple lumens to reduce the set-up time needed for such a device.
It would be advantageous to provide a fluid delivery apparatus with reduced clutter in the area of the sterile field.
It would be advantageous to provide a method for using a fluid delivery apparatus with a familiar, easy to use interface for medical practitioners performing or assisting with a medical procedure including a multiple lumen catheter.